Here's How To Get a Workout in While Working

Katie Austin's tips to work while you work! As her mom always says, sitting is the new smoking...

We want to make sure we are moving our bodies every hour, just for a few minutes. Here are a few different ways that you can incorporate movement into your workday:

1. Sit up straight. 

Posture is everything. This will also help strengthen your core and give you more energy as oxygen is more efficiently reaching your lungs. This posture brace can be found on Amazon and it’s so good.

2. Always keep water nearby.

Always have a water bottle on your desk and keep refilling it all day long. Getting up to refill your water throughout the day will help you step away from your desk and get a few steps in before you take on your next task.

My favorite water bottle is the Stanley Ice Flow.

3. Bring food from home.

Bring a healthy snack or your lunch to work so you don’t revert to the unhealthy ones. I have tons of healthy snack and recipe ideas on my site, KatieAustin.tv, for you to check out, but a few great lunches you can meal prep are linked below:

• Plant Based Summer Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce 
• Marinated Feta Greek Salad
• Chicken Salad
• Lettuce Wraps

4. Multitask 

The little things add up!! Conference call = a walk. Reading flashcards = squats. If you don’t have time for a full workout that day, try doing 10 lunges, 10 squats and 10 standing crunches every hour. That will add up to a great workout. Set all these as reminders for yourself, because when you’re so focused on your work, it can be hard to remember to put yourself first. My mom always says, “Your muscles don’t know if you’re in a fancy gym or in your living room!” And that’s so true!

5. Move regularly.

Make sure you’re moving your body hourly. Set timers on your phone if you need the extra reminders. Be smart with your free time. If a conference call is on your calendar until 10 a.m., but it ends five minute early, use those bonus minutes to walk. I love to work for 28 minutes, and stretch and move for 2. These 30-minute timed increments help me focus and keep my head clear throughout the day.

And here are some great exercises and stretches that you can do at your desk:

About the Series

Tune in every Monday and get tips to feel your best from Katie Austin herself. "I am beyond excited to announce the official launch of my weekly column in SI Swim, Katie’s Column. For those who don’t know me, I’m a fitness personality, creator of my own workout app (check it out here!) and host of my newly released Snapchat Originals and YouTube show called Healthy Hacks!! On top of that, I’m a 2022 SI Swim ROOKIEEEEE!!!!" says Austin.

"I want to bring you guys into my lifestyle. Each week, I’ll be sharing the best healthy recipes, free workouts, lifestyle tips, relationship advice and so much more! I want to bring you weekly positivity by sharing my accessible and realistic tips for you to feel like your best self every. single. freaking. day!"